Harald Schumacher

Harald Schumacher was a phenomenally talented Germangoalkeeper, but he is only remembered for one thing - a horrendous, neck-high challenge on France's Patrick Battiston, which completely changed the course of the 1982 World Cup semi-final between the two old enemies. Had it happened outside the ground, Schumacher would have been facing a jail sentence. As it happened on the pitch, he ended up a hero in his native Germany, but became (for a while) the most hated man in France.

The game was locked at 1-1, early in the second half, when Battiston (who had only come on as a substitute a few minutes earlier), ghosted through the Germandefence onto a perfect pass from Michel Platini. Clean through on goal, Battiston advanced on Schumacher, who responded by sprinting out of his goal and flattening Battiston with a flying challenge that caught the substitute squarely in the throat. Battiston was stretchered off, unconscious, and referee Charles Corver appeared to be in a similar state, for he failed to so much as book Schumacher for one of the worst fouls ever committed in a World Cup. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Never has there been a more obvious sending off, and yet Schumacher stayed in the German goal.

With the score still locked at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes, the match went into extra time. France scored twice past Schumacher in the first 8 minutes, seemingly putting the game beyond the Germans, but they then eased off the pressure, and Germany responded with two goals of their own with time to spare. The match went to penalties, and inevitably it was Harald Schumacher who made the crucial save that put France out of the World Cup.